Sports Interactive boss denies Sega Europe closure rumour

Sports Interactive boss Miles Jacobson has said on Twitter that rumours Sega Europe is to close are "false".

French site Gamekyo had reported, citing "credible sources", that Sega Europe would be closed in "the coming months" and that Sega would announce it is abandoning console game development in favour of
a digital-only strategy.

Jacobson responded to the rumours this afternoon, tweeting: "Interweb rumours of Sega Europe closing are false. Rumours of Dirk Kuyt signing for Fenerbache? Much more likely."

Jacobson didn't directly address the digital comment, but Eurogamer understands that Sega's current strategy is to focus on a few key pillars, notably the Total War series (developed by The Creative Assembly), Football Manager (Sports Interactive), Aliens (Gearbox Software and Creative Assembly), Sonic the Hedgehog, and digital titles.

Sega has struggled in recent years to make its mark in its traditional console heartland, but at the same time games from its two wholly-owned UK studios, The Creative Assembly and Sports Interactive, have thrived, and both studios are currently recruiting.

On a related matter, obviously this writer hopes that the Dirk Kuyt rumour isn't true either. Sniff. (Update: It's true! This is the worst day ever!)